They say don’t blink or you may miss something. Having children in your life really emphasizes this. Having my baby, my first born, turn 19 makes me reflective.
Having children doesn’t come with a manual. Yes there are many “How To” books on the subject, but at the end of the day we are all flying by the seat of our pants.
We called her our “love child” as she was an unexpected blessing. Not sure if we were equipped and ready for this for you are never truly ready.
She took her time coming into the world but when she made her grand entrance it was game over for her Dad & I. Well, we were in love!
Her name means life and she has always been full of it. It was clear pretty early she was going to be one cool kid.
She had a pretty crazy vocabulary at a young age from being around a lot of adults (her Dad and I were the first of our friends to have a baby at the time).
Watching her grow and evolve into the woman she is today has been a true blessing. Parenting is hard and for anyone who tells you otherwise well.
They are frankly full of shit.
You have many moments of “I really hope I’m not going to screw them up!”
Her Dad and I took the straight shooter approach to raising our children. We were extremely open and honest with them and still are. If they asked about what we did as kids and as teenagers, we told them.
I’m so happy she was nothing like we were because we were up to no good.
She has been on the honour roll since grade 4 and finished first year of University with a 4.1 GPA.
She has always been mature (an old soul) and has an amazing head on her shoulders. A lover of soccer since she was four, having travelled to Europe and the US to play (we’ve spent a lot of time at the pitch) with her Dad also coaching her a few times over the years.
Soccer and school kept her focused and out of trouble.
Life and family wasn’t always easy and still isn’t, however, if the kind of woman she has become means anything then I suppose we didn’t completely screw up.
Being a mom your heart is never your own ever again. Your children carry a part of you in their DNA. The fierce protective nature that comes from caring for your children is like nothing else. Mess with my kids and you’ll see the mean AF Mama Bear come out.
I’m not worried about her or her future. She is going to do amazing things in this life and I look forward to it.
Carrie Lee Freitag is a local mom who has called Squamish and Britannia Beach her home for over 26 years.
Reckonig Day says
This outstanding personal narrative disproves evolution.